Bouncer brutality, is it a license to hit?

Following a recent incident that I experienced it got me thinking about the way bouncers at nightclubs act towards customers.

We all know that bouncers are there to keep the peace at a nightclub and prevent anything bad from happening such as fighting, drugs or anything worse, but some of them seem to take their role as a bouncer as an excuse to behave violently towards people because they’ll be able to get away with it.

It’s understandable that when violence at a club erupts and is shown towards them or certain customers abuse them professional standards may slip, as a certain amount of force or behaviour has to be used to defuse situations and remove people from clubs. However when it is their job to act professional they shouldn’t act in this way from the offset.

Recently I was at a nightclub enjoying myself when some random person decided to kick me, feeling a little confused about the situation my boyfriend, who hadn’t been drinking that night, decided to go and report it to the bouncers. However instead of listening to what had happened and ejecting the person who had in fact assaulted me for no reason, the bouncers took it upon themselves to eject me, my boyfriend and my friend from the nightclub. They used around seven or eight bouncers to remove three people, who up until that point in the night had been enjoying themselves dancing and talking. The incident also left us with bruises on our arms and marks on our necks.

Now this situation doesn’t seem to be exclusive to this club or to me as a recent report in Durham found that between October 2011 and February 2012 there had been 25 incidents reported surrounding the bouncers at the Durham One bar. Within these complaints eight people had reported the force used by bouncers, one reported being punched in the face, one person said they were pushed as they were trying to get in and cracked their head and another person even reported a broken leg. Police however couldn’t do anything surrounding many of these claims due to the lack of CCTV evidence.

Although I can’t vouch for these claims and I am completely unaware of their validity, you can see that where bouncers tend to use the excuse that professional standards slip slightly due to certain incidents, they appear to just treat everyone the same without asking questions.

Recently the fly on the wall television show Bouncers, based in Newport South Wales showed the dislike that many of the bouncers in the area showed towards customers. Yes there were people fighting and appearing to abuse door staff, but that didn’t justify the way that everyone was lumbered into the same category. This being that they were all troublemakers due to them having a drink.

I would appear that yes sometimes bouncers are put in a tricky predicament, but that doesn’t automatically give them a license to hit or assume that everyone is the same. If allegations against bouncers were taken more seriously then maybe this type of behaviour would calm down and they’d realise that not everyone is a violent drunk, and maybe people would find a newfound respect for the club door staff.

Why Do We Have Gay Films?

Originally posted on www.biggaypictureshow.com

I’ve been wondering recently why when it comes to films do we have ‘gay films’ and not just films?

It is easy to see why some films get lumbered under this specific category of movie; it may be theme, especially if it’s dealing with LGBT issues, the leading actor or actress if they have a large gay following or are gay themselves. The director who may have a history of directing these so called ‘gay films’ or even the studio/distributor – Peccadillo is well known for its LGBT orientated movies.

So yes, there may be films that do cater more towards the gay community, which in itself is a good thing for gay people who sat and watched films for decades before someone was able to depict something well known to them. But it isn’t just gay people who enjoy these movies, the same way that gay people don’t just enjoy ‘gay movies.’ It appears that every movie with the slightest hint of a gay narrative is automatically classed as a gay movie, but you don’t see every other film in Hollywood that concentrates on the relationship between a man and woman classed as a straight movie, do you?

Films such as Brokeback Mountain and My Own Private Idaho are often considered to be LGBT films due to the storylines involved. In those cases it’s the gay romance between the two leading characters in Brokeback Mountain and the presence of gay hustlers within My Own Private Idaho.

But in the equal society that we now supposedly live in, where gay people are treated the same as straight people – with the same rights and the same representation in the media (supposedly, at least) – it is surprising that these films can’t be seen for what they are, before they are lumbered into the LGBT category. After all, Brokeback Mountain is the story of unrequited love that we see all the time in films and My Own Private Idaho is another narrative that we regularly see on the big screen and on television, a story about a young person coming of age. However, due to the presence of gay people within these narratives they automatically become ‘gay films.’ Any other film harbouring these narratives wouldn’t be labeled so quickly.

It feels as though it is about time that Hollywood wasn’t so black and white when it came to their movies – after all we’ve had colour for over 70 years. It’s about time that films like these stopped being categorised by the slight difference in their plotline and were recognised for the films that they truly are.

Issues with pornography aren’t so straight

There has been a constant debate surrounding the issue of pornography over the last few years that has looked at the issue surrounding men and women, and in particular problems such as; women becoming objectified by men, how porn can squash the beauty of a real woman to man, how it’s both sexist and degrading towards women and how porn appears to eroticise rape, which can have a universally detrimental affect on men and more dangerously women.

This issue has been highlighted on multiple occasions and has primarily focused upon the issues surrounding the way men view pornography, and as for quite a few men it is their first introduction into the world of sexual activity, and how it can ultimately affect their view of a woman and create damaging affects for relationships later in life.

Within this issue surrounding pornography there appears to be something that has been overlooked. In the mainstream press, where this topic is covered quite a lot, the key debates surround how heterosexual men consume porn and ultimately treat woman, and how this can be dangerous for the women in question. What is majorly overlooked is the detrimental affect that pornography can have on gay men, because like their straight counterparts gay men consume pornography just as much and for many is their first foray into sexual activity, and for many it can be viewed as their first form of sexual education.

With no system of teaching young gay men about sex or how to have safe gay sex within schools, many young gay men will first be introduced to it through the use of pornography. Even though there are outlets and charities around for boys dealing with their sexuality there is still a pressure of coming out at a young age, and bullying still occurs on a regular basis making it harder for them to approach these outlets. This therefore makes the use of a bedroom laptop with its one click highway to the world of pornography one of the only ways they can learn about such things.

And this can most definitely have an extreme detrimental affect on young gay men.

Firstly there are the major problems it can cause for their self-esteem as young men strive to look like the ripped six-pack wielding stars of these porno films. This issue isn’t just exclusive to the gay community, it can affect straight men and women, as young people struggle to realise that the images portrayed are not that of regular body type. But with 48% of gay men saying they would sacrifice a year or more of their lives in exchange for the perfect body, in a study commissioned by the Central YMCA, the Succeed Foundation and the University of the West of England’s (UWE) Centre for Appearance Research, it is apparent that constant exposure to the perceived ‘ideal’ is having a negative effect on these young men.

But the issues don’t appear to stop there for gay men, with it already appearing to be one of the factors to enforcing negative body image it can also have a harmful effect on day to day lives and self esteem. In gay porn men are frequently seen hooking up at the gym, in a park, in a classroom or from just bumping into someone walking down the street, which can leave a long and impressionable effect on gay men. From seeing this they can assume that gay men hook up everywhere, so the next time they are propositioned they may assume this is the only way to attain sex and continue. You only have to look at the way that social media and smartphone apps are increasing the promiscuity of young gay men. It is seen as the norm now to flick onto Grindr and sleep with the next man within a 30ft radius, or advertise yourself as looking for a casual hook up on Gaydar. This overly sexualised culture can be seen as an offshoot of pornography, where after indulging in it for so long the next step is clearly to use your internet not just for some solo fun but to find the nearest person willing to sleep with you.

This effect to ones self esteem can’t be good as eventually they turn into a real life sex toy for whoever wants them. This is what they see in porn, so why shouldn’t they indulge in it?

This however leads on to the more serious and ultimately most damaging affect of gay pornography on young men. Barebacking, the act of having sex without the use of a condom, is appearing to become ever more popular, you only have to look on websites such as Gaydar to discover how many men are actually looking for it. It doesn’t help that the sales of barebacking porn is completely outselling every other form of gay porn around. This is ultimately self destructive, as a casual barebacking encounter could result in the HIV virus.

HIV rates are on the rise, with new diagnoses in the men who have sex with men group increasing by 70% in the last decade, with more than 30,000 men who have sex with men living with the virus, with an estimated third of these not being aware of it.

With barebacking pornography showing young gay men that this is ok, how long is it until they too have been infected with the disease?

The issue of pornography has been tackled greatly over recent years, but needs to be approached on many more fronts and looked at in all communities. It’s all good warning men of the dangers and saving women from potential risks. But something needs to be done to help save young gay men from themselves and a possible life long illness.

These Pharaohs are certainly anywhere but the grave

Pharaohs from the Grave are a new upcoming alternative punk rock band based in London, who have been described as anything but a generic rock and roll act. And after hearing two tracks from the band I can genuinely say they certainly aren’t generic.

The band are a great mix of heavy guitars and drums mixed with excellent vocals by Emily ‘Wolf’ O, who displays tinges of early Shirley Manson and Gwen Stefani with a little bit of punk icon Patti Smith sprinkled on top for good measure.

Considering they cite people such as Garbage and No Doubt as influences I’m not surprised. The two tracks I listened to, ‘Higher’ and ‘Success’ both show what this band is good at, great rock music that hasn’t been around the charts for awhile.

I only got to hear two tracks from the bands EP but I can’t wait to hear what else this band can come out with.

Check them out at: http://www.pharaohsfromthegrave.co.uk

Review - The Gossip - A Joyful Noise

Originally posted on www.soundblab.com

Gossip return with their fifth studio album A Joyful Noise, and they do not disappoint. The band were joined on production for this album by Xenomania founder Brian Higgins, well know for producing singles by girlband Girls Aloud, and you can really hear the difference between this and their previous albums. You may think that Gossip and Girls Aloud are two different styles (which they are) and having Higgins on board would be a bad choice for the band. However, it isn't, as they fuse dance beats and indie-rock together to make a brilliant sounding album which will have you dancing along in your bedroom at a gig or even in a club.

Thanks to the fusion of different sounds, you get a great indie-dance record, and Beth Ditto's vocals are on top form as she lets loose for some edgy dance tracks with her distinct belting voice, and then reigns it in for some more melancholy heartfelt torch songs. The album has a feel similar too Beth's solo stuff coupled with the bands already known style. The best thing about it is that there are no bad songs, it's great from beginning to end and you won't get bored at all.

Some of the album's standout tracks include 'Perfect World', 'Get a Job', 'Move in the Right Direction', 'Casualties of War' and 'Get Lost'. Which are an eclectic mix of big, booming dance beats, excellent guitar riffs and impeccable vocals and lyrics. The band stay true to themselves while taking their musical sound to the next level with the Xenomania production.

The best track on the album has to be 'Get Lost'; with it's down played verses and huge 90s dance inspired chorus, you'll find it hard to keep still while this is playing in background. A remix of the song is sure to be a massive hit, and I for one would be incredibly interested to hear it. Track five, 'Casualties of War' is one of the slower songs on the album and takes them back to their indie roots, with a few electro beats creeping in. It's a soft and sweet ballad - just a purely beautiful song.

Overall, A Joyful Noise is a fantastic album filled with dance, indie and rocky beats that you can move to, coupled with booming, soft and melancholic vocals. It really has something for everyone.

Review - She Monkeys

Originally published on www.biggaypictureshow.com

She Monkeys is an intriguing, dark and eerie tale of two girls engaged in a confusing underlying lesbian relationship set against the backdrop of the equestrian vaulting world. With a relationship that’s brimming with physical and psychological challenges, lead character Emma (Mathilda Paradeiser) does whatever it take to master the rules of this almost twisted game, failing to resist the temptation of taking control from Cassandra (Linda Molin).

The film was shot and is based in Sweden, but is subtitled in English for all of you out there who enjoy a good foreign language film, and this film is pretty special. You can see why it won a host of awards on the festival circuit over the last 12 months, even taking the Best Narrative Feature trophy at the Tribeca Film Festival as it grips you from beginning to end even if Swedish isn’t your mother tongue.

Overall the film put me in mind of a cross between the Hollywood film Black Swan and the more independent My Own Private Idaho, for a number of different reasons. The film has some of the same themes that were included in Black Swan, with the underlying lesbian relationship and the competitiveness of the two lead characters that ultimately makes them both appear a little psychotic, while the way it’s shot and set against the eerie music brings in a sense of Gus Van Sant’s Idaho.

Imagery in the film overall was brilliant as it helps maintain the film’s realism and gives it its overall feel of eeriness, which fits in perfectly with the script.

Despite the similarities to Black Swan’s competitive lesbian undertones, the film has another strong theme running through it – lost youth. This can be seen in the plot surrounding Emma and Cassandra, as Emma appears to want to remain young and not deal with the pressures of adulthood, such as sexuality and the torment of love and relationships. It can also be seen within the subplot of Emma’s younger sister Sara, whose longing for her much older cousin and the desire to wear a bikini gives us an insight into how children today are growing up too fast in an overly sexualised society.

The acting in the film is great all round, but the person who steals the show is definitely Isabella Lindqvist as Sara, whose powerful portrayal of a lost, confused and troubled little girl attempting to deal with the pressures of being a child but wanting to be an adult outshines everyone else. It makes you feel a lot of empathy towards the character and children experiencing such issues around the world.

Overall Verdict: This film is a highly enjoyable feature debut and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different, as it tackles themes that Hollywood just isn’t brave enough to explore.

Review: Garbage - Not Your Kind of People

Originally posted on www.soundblab.com

90s rock band Garbage have returned with their fifth studio album, which also happens to be their first in over seven years. It may not feel like its been seven years, but sadly some of us have been sat in a world for nearly a decade where the only garbage around is the sort you'd throw away. But it has to be said Garbage's latest offering is definitely something for fans to keep hold of.

Reunited by drummer and Nirvana producer Butch Vig, the album mixes an eclectic blend of rock and electronic sounds mixed well with Shirley Manson's rocky yet soft vocals, with a tinge of haunting ambience thrown in for good measure. The album is just flat out brilliant, lets get that in there first, and there are no bad songs from beginning to end. Admittedly there are a few that stand out more than others, but the band could have selected any track from this album to lead with.

With a new tour on the horizon for the band, an album packed with this many great tracks, that would fit in perfectly next to their back catalogue, is enough to get anyone excited before running out to buy their front row ticket.

Particular highlights from the album include; 'Automatic Systematic Opening','Blood for Poppies', 'Control', 'I Hate Love' and 'Man on a Wire.' These tracks just stood out as the best of the best with their mix of electro rock and with riveting and exciting lyrics and vocals from Manson, they're more than anyone could have expected.

The only down point of the album was the track 'Sugar', which was a little too slow and just didn't have the fire and passion behind it that the other tracks did. That being said it is still listenable and you definitely wont skip it.

Overall this is a brilliant album, and excellent come back record for the band, as it sounds just like vintage Garbage, which is what we have come to love them for, with a few electronic rock tweaks to make it sound a little more fresh and exciting. Bring on the tour.

Review: Marilyn Manson - Born Villain

Originally published on www.soundblab.com

Its been three years since Marilyn Manson released his last album and Born Villain, his eighth studio album, has been in the works for a good two years. Overall, the album sounds like the sort of product you would expect from Manson by now after nearly two decades in the music business, filled with great rock beats and brimming with vocal angst which would get anyone rocking away at a gig or in a club.

Kicking off with the song 'Hey Cruel World', he sets the theme for the remainder of the album, with a quiet intro that smashes straight into heavy guitar riffs and loud drums, coupled with the angst-ridden yet at times sexy and as-sultry-as-rock-can-get vocals. The first half of the album is filled with some great tracks, in particular 'Pistol Whipped', which is a slow starter but an absolute rock anthem as it goes on. It sounds different to many of the other songs featured on the album.

As we move into the middle, Born Villain does get a little bit repetitive. Songs such as 'Overneath the Path of Misery', 'Children of Cain' and 'Disengaged' become a little bit tedious and samey-same as they tend to drone on a bit, and are ultimately a little boring. However, the album picks back up towards the end, resuming the rock and roll angst, guitar riffs and heavy drums which kicked it off, and are what any die-hard Manson fan would expect.

Other stand-out tracks from the album include 'Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms' with its up-beat rock tempo; 'Breaking the Same Old Ground', which is as close to a ballad as you're going to get on Marilyn Manson album; and the title track. Whilst beinga strong album track, there are much better songs here he could have lead with. The cover of Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain' is a definite highlight and becomes this album's 'Tainted Love'. It is always great to hear a new take on an old song and, with guitar and drums from Johnny Depp, this one is really striking.

Overall, we may have heard all this before from Manson but that doesn't stop it from being a pretty good album you will definitely listen to more than once.

Taste of their own medicine? More like heterophobia

After the recent revelation that a gay bar in Sweden has barred straight couples from kissing within its premises, you can’t help but think are we going backwards and not forwards in our fight for equality.

It was revealed that a woman was told she could not kiss her boyfriend at the Never Mind bar in Copenhagen and that the owner could decide “who can kiss and who can’t kiss in the bar.” (Read here)

The thought that after years of fighting for equality and dealing with prejudice ourselves as gay people for kissing the one’s we love in public, that a gay bar can outright ban straight people from kissing is completely shocking. It appears that some people are now giving off the same intolerance to straight people that we ourselves have suffered.

Last year a gay couple were kicked out of a bar in Soho for kissing, which sparked outrage within the gay community and lead to the now infamous kiss off outside said pub. The act was deemed as homophobic by many within the gay community, but is this act of banning straight people from kissing in a gay bar heterophobia or just giving them a ‘taste of their own medicine?’

You can see where they may be coming from as there are plenty of bars and clubs deemed as straight where heterosexual people can meet, dance and have a good time, just like us gays can at a gay bar. But do we really want to be sending out the message that we are just as intolerant as the people who have victimised us for decades? The answer is no, we don’t.

By doing this it just opens up many more reasons for people to victimise us, which could may allow for more gay people to be banned from kissing at ‘straight’ bars, which will ultimately send us back to the dark ages where the only places we can purely be ourselves is in a gay bar. and for many the nearest gay bar isn’t around the corner.

If we as a gay community want to continue moving forward in our fight for world wide equality then this sort of thing shouldn’t happen as we should continue to show our heterosexual counterparts that we are tolerant and accepting of everyone, just like they should be. In other words we should lead by example.

New Article!

Its been a while since I last posted on here, but I have been busy writing away so I think it's time I started posting again!!!

Check out an article I wrote for DollyRox magazine on pages 30-33 here: DollyRox magazine issue 1